Blessed Paul VI

When I was a kid in Tondo, there used to be a free clinic along Cavite and Fidel Streets named after Pope Paul VI, the first pope to have visited the Philippines way back in 1970; the pope who has just been beatified almost a week ago by Pope Francis. As it was located across the street from where our grandparents lived, we would usually play in front of this clinic (famously called 'Pope Paul') - it was situated facing the east so it provides enough of a shade in the afternoon when the sun is at its peak. Inside the clinic, one could see a photo of a European cleric in full regalia with his right hand raised up in blessing (similar to the photo above). If I am not mistaken, the clinic was erected in memory of this pope who visited the poor of Tondo during that historic papal visit. Sadly, the clinic is now defunct.

We recently had two popes being canonized: John XIII and John Paul II. I guess Paul VI would pale in comparison with the two. Some even commented that he was the forgotten pope.  Being a 'Paul VI baby' since I was born during his pontificate, part of his accomplishments was to reopen Vatican Council II with priorities on a better understanding of the Catholic Church, Church reforms, advancing the unity of Christians, and dialogue with the world. 

Such priorities have turned the Church upside down. Gone were the days when Catholics and their siblings from other Christian denominations such as the Orthodox and Protestants were isolated from one another.  Pope Paul VI also sought a dialogue with the world - Christians and non-Christians alike, everyone!  A Euro-centric Church has become a Church of the world! 

In his visit to the Philippines, it was said that after seeing a poor family in their home, he as badly shaken (Read: http://opinion.inquirer.net/74108/forgotten-pope). The kind of poverty in the slums of the Philippines were a far, far, far cry from its European counterpart!

When I was in college, part of our curriculum was to study the Church's social teachings. "Populorum Progressio", which this pope wrote in 1967, comes to mind. In this encyclical, he called for an economy that serves mankind and not a privileged few. It also discussed people's right to just wages, security of employment, joining a union, etc.

He was also a Marian devotee, writing three encyclicals in honor of the Virgin Mary: "Mense Maio" (1965) where described Mary as the way to Christ; "Christi Matri" (1966) where he recommened the Rosary in light of the Vietnam War and the dangers of atomic conflicts; and "Marialis Cultus" (1974) where he promoted Marian devotions especially the Angelus and the Rosary. At the conclusion of Vatican Council II, he named Mary "Mother of the Church".

Pope Paul also effected reforms in the Roman Curia, introduced Synod of Bishops as a way for the Pope to consult his brother bishops on various topics (the recently concluded Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family is an example), did away with the Vatican army and the papal tiara (I look forward to see his tiara which he donated to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC.), and revised the Mass (i.e. The New Order of Mass).

Like anyone of us, he wasn't spared from controversy.  It seems to me that his accomplishments mentioned above have been overshadowed by "Humanae Vitae" which he wrote and for which he is best remembered. In this encyclical, he reaffirmed Church's traditional view on marriage and marital relations and a continued condemnation on artificial birth control. Some actions too of his successors like Benedict XVI have undone what he has introduced such as resurrecting from the lumang baul the 1962 edition of the Mass and calling it the "Extraordinary Form" while the other one as the "Ordinary Form". 

Pope Paul VI (and the charity clinic in Tondo named after him) may have been long forgotten, but Pope Francis' beatification of this humble pontiff seems an opportunity for us all to revisit who this man was and how his ministry, teachings, and reforms are still relevant in our times.

Blessed Paul VI, pray for us!

Live Life Beautifully

(The first item below is the reflection I shared during the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help organised by the Filipino Rosary Crusade-Nottingham North at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Parish Church on 23 February 2013.)

I was walking past Super Drug(a drug store in the UK) a few days ago when my attention was caught by its poster which says: “Live Life Beautifully”. Of course, that store was enticing buyers to purchase a host of their products that could ‘beautify’ their customers. As to what extent in their lives, that is another story.

Lent offers a similar message, but presented in a rather negative slogan: “Remember man that you are dust and unto dust you shall return.” Being dust all along and being dust in the future isn’t beautiful at all. This is Lent’s wake-up call for us. And with this call, Lent offers us 3 important gifts: Prayer, Penance, and Charity. Here in our parish, they are given a more practical context: Live simply, sustainably, in solidarity with others.

Most if not all of us have been availing of these gifts every Lent and even beyond. Perhaps it’s good to ask ourselves:

Prayer


Do we pray like Samuel who once said “Speak, Lord your servant is listening” or do we just want God to listen to what we have to say to Him?

Are we like the Pharisee, in Jesus’ parable, who prayed as though God would be impressed with all his good deeds or are we like the tax collector who couldn’t even raise his head to heaven, but could only strike his breast while saying “Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am a sinner”?

Are we like Jesus who always prayed that His Father’s will be done?

Penance

Do we fast and abstain just to lose weight or do we do it to alleviate the sufferings of others?

Do we make sacrifices grudgingly or with a smile?

Do we face our crosses with a moan or with trust?

Charity

Do we serve the community just to win people’s praise?

Are we just after the number of likes in whatever religious posts we make in Facebook?

Do we feel bad when someone else has outdone us in our service in the parish/community?

Are we annoyed when people don’t see eye-to-eye with us?

Do we love because we are compelled to do so or do we just love to love?

Are we choosy when being nice to others?
Fr Richard Veras, a parish priest in New York, commented that “There is a temptation to see Lent as a time of self-improvement, during which my focus is on myself. However my sin shows me that my hope can never be in myself. My only hope is that someone save me…Let our focus be not on ourselves, but on Jesus…He is the one who saves me from my miserable condition; it is his merciful gaze which awakens and transforms me.”

If we focus our prayer, penance, and charity on Jesus, Lent can be a wonderful experience for us. Not something that we avoid or something that we commemorate for the wrong reasons. Rather than a sad occasion in the life of the Church, Lent can be a moment of rejoicing because of the salvation that the Lord has won for us. Such is the beauty of Lent! Yes, we are dust, but if we follow Jesus faithfully and lovingly, our destiny is far better than dust. Our destiny is to be with Him forever.

Let’s therefore ask Mama Mary’s help that like her, our attention and our actions will be only in and for Jesus. And let's encourage and nurture others - our kids, our colleagues, our neighbours - to do the same.

United with our Lord in this holy season, let us live life beautifully!

***

Pope Benedict XVI's resignation on February 11 came as a shock. It was just a day ago when the Gospel was about Simon Peter being chosen by the Lord to be a 'fisher of men'. We acknowledge the Pope as St Peter's successor (As I write this, it's the Feast of the Chair of St Peter, a celebration commemorating the primacy of Peter in the community of believers; an unbroken role filled in by Peter's successors, a.k.a.the popes).  The resignation is new to almost everyone since the last pope to step down lived 5 centuries ago.  Some quarters cried foul saying the Pope can't do that because it's like saying 'No' to God.  I learned that the Pope can do that in his own volition as contained in Canon Law.  I was shocked and yet I admired him for doing such a courageous act.  It has been said that John Paul II once contemplated of resigning,  but in the end left everything as is.  I could understand Benedict's decision for he would have definitely witnessed how his predecessor ebbed away.

Benedict XVI has been described more as a teacher than an administrator of the Church. Compare his writings against the various controversies that bedevilled the Church in his term: Vatileaks, Vatican Bank controversies, sexual scandals involving priests, etc. Some commentators consider him as a weak pope for not being able to effect the needed change in the Roman Curia (the departments and agencies in Vatican).  The process involved in the new English translation of the Mass is an example of how the Roman Curia imposed changes to the English-speaking churches rather than leaving things in the hands of the bishops conferences. To be fair, Benedict did what he could to reach out (read: meet up) with victims of sexual abuse. By doing so, he has acknowledged that such evil existed. Unlike Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals, who dismissed the issue as mere gossip. The Pope has also sanctioned Fr Marcial Maciel, founder of the Legionaries of Christ, when it was discovered that he  was involved in sexual abuse and sired children. During John Paul II's time, this priest was untouchable as his congregation gave huge donations to the Vatican.

There is a buzz that cardinals who will be electing Benedict's successor next month are looking for a pope who will bring order to the Curia. Indeed, there are curialists who have behaven badly which put the present pope in bad light.  If a revamp can be done, then the collegiality of bishops (with the pope as primus inter pares) as envisioned by Vatican II will become a reality. And I also hope that they would look for someone who' will reexamine  the current English translation of the liturgy.

This Lent. let's offer our prayers, penance, and charity for Benedict XVI thanking God for his leadership, service, and example.  Let's also offer these Lenten gifts to the College of Cardinals that they may be inspired by the Holy Spirit to elect a pope who will be a true shepherd of the flock and fisher of people.

A Challenging Time

I feel blessed to have been part of the post-Vatican II generation. That council that was convoked 45 years ago steered the Church to what was then ‘unknown sails’. Sacrosanctum Concilium (SC), one of the constitutions promulgated by that council, has been called the ‘Magna Carta of the Church’ for it sought to revise the liturgy aimed at leading all the faithful “to that fully conscious and active participation” which is the faithful’s “…right and duty by reason of their baptism”. (SC 14)

This brought about various changes in the Mass. Apart from the priest facing the people, the Mass was said in the vernacular. Also, the lay faithful could take certain roles like lector/commentator, sacristan, or Special Minister of the Eucharist. Indeed, parishes and other communities flourished because of lay participation and empowerment.

I find it then strange why a new English translation is now being introduced. If it were a much better translation of the Latin text, fine. But reading the samples available in various websites, I find these confusing and would not be in consonance with SC or worse, with Vatican II. Some words in the new translation sound too archaic as well. What’s wrong with the words “one being with the Father” and change it to “consubstantial with the Father”? Pope Paul VI, under whose watch Vatican II's actions were implemented, might be turning in his grave!

I feel that if the new translation would be implemented, we will be going back to the days when people would pray the rosary or any other devotion while Mass is being celebrated. Worse, we might see more people becoming detached from the Mass, becoming detached from God Himself! Come to think of it, isn't He Emmanuel ("God-with-us")? If our faith tells us that He is here with us then our prayers as individuals and as a community should enhance that belief. The words we use to communicate with each other could either build or weaken relationships. The current translation uses plain English so each of us regardless of our background could relate more with the Lord whom we encounter in the Eucharist.

When SC was implemented, national conferences of bishops sharing a common language were tasked to collaborate in producing a common translation. This brought about the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL). Through ICEL, bishops conferences in the English-speaking world (which includes the Philippines) have been given a kind of autonomy to see what is suitable to the local churches under their care.

ICEL proposed a new translation in 1980s which was completed in 1998. It was a much better edition to the one currently used. Unfortunately, Rome (through the Congregation for Divine Worship) initially ignored it and later rejected it following the issuance of a document called Liturgiam authenticam which calls for a more literal English translation. (Take note that this is only a document and not a constitution like SC!) Indeed, as one fellow Catholic would have observed, I never thought that fundamentalists could also be found in the Church! I share the observation by Fr Michael Ryan that such a move is “one more assault on the (Vatican II) council, and sadly, one more blow to episcopal collegiality.”

This is a challenging time for all of us who love and actively participate in the Mass. Right now, bishops in the English-speaking world are in the middle of two opposing forces. Will they simply bow to the powers-that-be? Or will they assert their role as shepherds of their flock? Alas, some conferences have chosen the former over the latter. Yet nothing is still lost.

Let’s continue to pray for them. (What a coincidence that in the web, we are remembering our bishops in our prayers this month.) Again, if you haven’t done it yet, please join in the signature campaign to ask our bishops to delay this new (and poor) translation via: http://www.whatifwejustsaidwait.org/

St Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, pray for us.